Until the myth of Ragnarok, we can interpret fate in Norse Mythology to deal only with death, which leaves it associated with despair despite the optimistic tone of “destiny.” However, what occurs after Ragnarok reveals the a new dimension of Gaiman’s use of the thematic element. “Each Arrow Overshot His Head” by Elmer Boyd Smith (1902) Fate, in this case, serves as an explanation for events of loss, but there’s no rhyme or reason: Balder’s light is in opposition to Loki’s darkness. Here arises, through Gaiman’s storytelling, the question of whether Loki’s inner darkness is a form of fate itself.

Odin is told that Hel, the land of the undead who did not die in battle, is expecting Balder: “Even the gods cannot change destiny, and if he was to save Balder he would have to do it with cunning, and he would need help.” Loki is the one who ultimately causes Balder’s death, but his demise was pre-decided by the unexplainable element of destiny, who the gods can expect but never understand. Balder’s death, caused ultimately by Loki’s tendency for unnecessary harm that increases as the Ragnarok chapter grows closer. Loki, the brother of the all-wise god Odin, serves to hurry the gods’ ultimate fate of Ragnarok along: he is a shapeshifting god with a “darkness” inside of him that sets him apart from the other Aesir gods. We see darkness really come to the forefront with the death of Balder, a god who represents the “beautiful” and is often associated with the sun and light. The tone of each myth shifts, but becomes especially dark in the closing chapters as Ragnarok approaches. This is not to say, however, that Gaiman’s work is kitsch or skips over the dark realities of suffering and loss.

Odin consulting a dead seeress to learn about fate (Franz Stassen, 1920)

Norse gods neil gaiman